In the electrical industry, it is common to run ground wires and/or electrical wires housed in conduits along and against support surfaces, and to use clamps as one means for securing them relative to these support surfaces. When the support is formed of wood, concrete, masonry or the like, the clamps can be formed of reasonably strong metal structures and can be driven directly into the support to become rigidly connected thereto. The clamp may further snuggly overlie the conduit or ground wire for holding the same tightly against the underlying support surface.
One form of clamp may be as a U-shaped staple, having two generally parallel shank portions and a curved interconecting cross portion. The spacing of the shank portions is selected to fit on opposite sides of the electrical conduit or ground wire; and these shank portions are pointed at their free ends adapted to be driven into the structural support until the interconnecting cross portion fits snuggly against the electrical conduit or ground wire.
Another form of clamp may be somewhat J-shaped, having a shank portion with one pointed end and having a hook portion cantilevered off of the shank portion near its opposite end. The shank portion is adapted to be driven into the structural support next to the electrical conduit or ground wire; and the hook portion is adapted then to overlie and be snugged against the electrical conduit or ground wire.
In each general type, the clamp is sized to fit or cooperate with one size of electrical conduits, which most commonly may come as a 1/2" or 3/4" size conduit. Thus, with the U-shaped staples, the shank portions may be spaced apart by the needed distance, and the interconnecting cross portion may be curved between these shank portions at a curvature corresponding generally to the outside of either the 1/2" or 3/4" size conduit. Likewise, the hook portion of the J-shaped clamps may be shaped to engage the outside of either the 1/2" or 3/4" size conduit.
One problem with this approach is the increased needed inventory of different staples and clamps suited to cooperate properly with each common size of conduit.